Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 159
Andrew J. Stephenson, 20, of Jacksonville, Florida, appeared in the Antelope County court last Wednesday morning, Jan. 5, on a Class 4 felony count, possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, and two infractions, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, all alleged Dec. 23. Stephenson requested court-appointed counsel. After reviewing his financial information, Judge Donna Taylor indicated the defendant was “borderline” for qualification. She appointed the public defender to represent him, cautioning that whe...
Anglers must be aware of fishing regulation changes that take effect Jan. 1, according to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The changes are: Black bass – The area where no minimum length limit on smallmouth bass is required has expanded to the Nebraska Public Power District Canal, starting at the Sutherland Reservoir outlet, to the confluence with the South Platte River in Lincoln County; this includes Lake Maloney. Bufflehead Wildlife Management Area and David City Ponds are added to the list of waters where the minimum length limit on b...
Hunters can apply for the chance to win the hunting opportunity of a lifetime. Applications for multispecies super tag and combo lottery permits will be accepted by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission beginning Jan. 2. The super tag lottery permit will be valid for one elk of either sex, one antelope of either sex, one deer of either sex and two turkeys. The combo permit will be valid for one antelope of either sex, one deer of either sex and two turkeys. Winners will be notified in fall 2022. Multispecies lottery permits will be valid in...
A South Dakota man was given probation for his angry behavior at two Atkinson businesses in August. Joseph W. Reiser, 20, of Gregory faced the Honorable Kale Burdick for sentencing in the Holt County courtroom in O’Neill on Tuesday, Nov. 16. Burdick sentenced Resier to a six-month term of probation for three Class 3 misdemeanors committed Aug. 25, Count I, reckless driving and counts II and III, criminal mischief, 0 to $500. Reiser’s probation includes probation fees of $210 and he was assessed $60 costs of prosecution. According to a pro...
Hunters taking to the field for the November firearm deer season will have bagging a deer on their minds. Safety should be uppermost on their minds. Deer hunters always should heed the following tips from the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission during the season: • Keep the rifle’s muzzle pointed in a safe direction, with the safety on, and finger off the trigger until ready to fire. • Properly identify the target and what lies beyond it before pulling the trigger and never shoot at sounds or movement. • Wear blaze orange. All deer hunters...
The Oct. 23 and 24 statewide youth pheasant, quail and partridge season, for hunters ages 15 and younger, provides an opportunity to mentor new hunters. “Each fall, the youth season provides a great opportunity to get young family members and friends out hunting in a more controlled environment,” said John Laux, upland game program manager for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Resident youth, age 15 or younger, do not need a permit to hunt small game, but nonresident youth must have a hunt permit and habitat stamp. Only youth are all...
Hunters again are challenged to go afield with family and friends this fall to complete the Nebraska Upland Slam by harvesting all four of Nebraska’s primary upland game bird species. The challenge of the Upland Slam, a partnership among the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Pheasants Forever, Inc., and Quail Forever, is to harvest a ring-necked pheasant, sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie chicken and northern bobwhite quail in Nebraska this season. Successful hunters upload a photo of each harvested bird through an online platform and p...
With the annual dove season opener on Sept. 1, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission has reminders for hunters and recommendations for areas to hunt. Dove hunting is an excellent opportunity to introduce youth and other novice hunters to hunting. Doves are abundant statewide and, with generous bag limits, provide some excellent wing-shooting opportunities. Doves may be hunted statewide Sept. 1 to Oct. 30, with daily bag and possession limits of 15 and 45, respectively. Bag and possession limits are for mourning, white-winged and Eurasian...
The Grove Trout Rearing Station, near Royal, will be closed to visitors until further notice due to upcoming expected high air temperatures in the area. Trout have been experiencing some health issues as the water to the facility has been warming. Warm water holds less oxygen, which is crucial to trout production. Additional stressors could further compromise fish health, prompting the decision to close visitation to this popular Antelope County destination. “Game and Parks and the staff at the facility would like to thank the public for its c...
Duck hunters must choose between two daily bag limits when they register for their Harvest Information Program number this year. Nebraska and South Dakota are entering a new two-tier program starting with the 2021- 2022 regular duck season. Tier I is the current traditional six-duck bag limit with species and sex restrictions. Tier II is a three-duck bag limit with no species or sex restrictions. HIP registration begins Aug. 1. When hunters register, they will be asked whether they plan to hunt ducks. If so, they will be prompted to select a...
Justin W. Stoltz, 35, of Elgin faced the Honorable Donna Taylor in the Antelope County courtroom last Wednesday, May 19, for a pretrial hearing on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol, .15 or greater, second offense, a Class 1 misdemeanor. Pursuant to a plea agreement with Antelope County attorney Joe Abler, Stoltz withdrew his previous not guilty plea and entered a no contest plea to an amended count, driving under the influence of alcohol, first offense, a Class W misdemeanor committed Jan. 23. In addition, Abler agreed not to...
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is looking to provide additional hunting and fishing opportunities on private lands through its Open Fields and Waters Program. Landowners willing to allow public, walk-in access for hunting or fishing can receive annual, per-acre payments through the program. Participating landowners are afforded liability protection through the Nebraska Recreational Liability Act. Additional financial incentives often are available for habitat improvements, such as...
DARYL BAUER Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Catch and release is an established and important part of modern fishing. Sure, harvesting some of the fish we catch should be a part of our fishing experience. However, our fisheries are managed for recreational fishing, and if you are just fishing for a meal, well, the grocery store likely would be a cheaper way to get your fish. In some cases, catch and release is mandated by regulations; all length-limit regulations essentially are mandatory...
GRACE GORENFLO Nebraska News Service Nearly 100 tax-related bills have been introduced this legislative session, with topics ranging from selling alcohol at farmers markets to excluding retired military from state income tax. Chair of the Revenue Committee Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn said the committee has a package of sales tax bills and a package of income tax bills it is working to pass this session. The committee’s two priority bills, LB432 and LB595, will each have several other tax bills amended into them after hearings have c...
JERRY KANE Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Staying warm and comfortable while on the ice will go a long way toward ensuring you have a fun outing ice-fishing. The conditions will determine exactly how you will want to dress, but, regardless, you should dress in layers. The reason? You'll want to stay warm, and you'll need to avoid sweating. Getting set up for fishing – or moving to new fishing areas on the ice – is where you can work up a sweat. This includes carrying or dragging your gea...
Nebraska’s annual First Day Hikes are a chance to explore trails, watch wildlife, snap photos and create a lifetime of memories. This year, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission encourages families to take self-guided hikes between Jan. 1 and 3 at a Nebraska state park, state historical park or state recreation area. Though parks usually offer guided tours, hot chocolate and more, this year’s First Day Hikes have been adjusted to account for the current public health situation. Select parks are planning on giving the event their own unique spi...
Rainbow trout are being stocked in city ponds and state park and recreation area lakes across the state by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. These stockings will enhance fishing opportunities this fall and winter. Stocking schedules can change on short notice for a variety of reasons. The following is a tentative stocking schedule in this area, including quantities: Week of Oct. 5 – East Verdigre Creek, Royal – 200 trout; Week of Oct. 13 – TaHaZouka Park Lake, Norfolk – 1,500; Niobrara SP Pond, 1,000; Grove Lake WMA, Royal – 1,500; We...
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade can discover the outdoors by participating in the second annual Nebraska Fish Art Contest. The 2021 contest, which is sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Wildlife Forever and Bass Pro Shops, is accepting entries through March 31, 2021. Enter at statefishart.org. This free international art and writing competition gives young people the opportunity to highlight their artistic talents while learning about fish, fishing and aquatic...
With fall hunting seasons coming up, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission reminds hunters of temporary Hunter Education changes from which they can benefit. Until further notice, online-only Hunter Education courses, without the Hunt Safe Session requirement, is allowed for ages 11 and older in Nebraska. Youth ages 11-15 who take the online Hunter Education course normally are required to attend a two-hour Hunt Safe Session before they can receive a certificate of completion. That Hunt Safe Session requirement temporarily has been waived...
The antlerless elk season opened Aug. 1 on private land in all seven elk management units in Nebraska. “Crop damage from elk can be a serious issue for many landowners, particularly in corn,” said Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Director Jim Douglas. “We understand this and want to help landowners resolve this problem.” Game and Parks believes the best way to manage big game populations is through hunting. To help manage elk, in 2020, Game and Parks increased antlerless permits by 40% and expanded the antlerless hunting season by 31 days, s...
Hunters may begin purchasing 2020 Nebraska fall turkey permits Aug. 10 at 1 p.m. Central Time. A fall turkey permit is valid statewide and allows a hunter to harvest two turkeys of either sex with a shotgun or archery equipment. Each hunter may have up to two permits. There is no minimum age requirement for youth. The fall turkey season is Sept. 15, 2020 through Jan. 31, 2021. Fall turkey permits may be purchased: • Online at OutdoorNebraska.org; • Via application form mailed to: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2200 N. 33rd St., Lin...
The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission approved recommendations for a 2021 mountain lion hunting season at its June 19 meeting in Lincoln. Staff recommended a mountain lion season in the Pine Ridge that will have a maximum harvest of four mountain lions, down from eight in 2020. In addition, the number of permits available will be reduced by half compared to 2020. The 2021 Season 1 in the Pine Ridge Unit, which no longer is divided into subunits, will be Jan. 2-Feb. 28. Before Feb. 28, the...
Hunters have until July 3 to apply for a 2020-2021 multispecies lottery permit. Two types of permits are available: super tag and combo. The super tag permit is valid in 2020 and 2021 for one elk of either sex, one antelope of either sex, one deer of either sex and two turkeys (only toms and bearded hens may be taken in the spring). The permit is valid in open seasons with the appropriate weapons. One super tag permit is authorized for residents only and one permit is authorized for residents/no...
In a proactive effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is delaying free fishing and park entry day, originally scheduled for May 16. Free fishing and park entry day, typically held annually in Nebraska on the Saturday preceding Memorial Day weekend, allows anyone to enjoy fishing anywhere across the state without a fishing permit or explore outdoor opportunities at any Nebraska state park, state recreation area or state historical park without the need to purchase a park entry permit. Normally, activities...
In honor of the role birds play in Nebraska's economy and ecosystems, Gov. Pete Ricketts has proclaimed May as Nebraska Bird Month. The month-long celebration, typically celebrated with bird-related events across the state, has taken on a new form this year in the interest of public health due to the novel coronavirus. Rather than attend an event, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission invites Nebraskans to get outside, look for birds and join a national citizen science program as part of the Nebras...
